Realization
by Silver16
Summary: I just thought that Alec deserved to have someone new and special in his life


Realizations  
Alec's elegant fingers flowed effortlessly over the keys.   
The thunderstorm of music crashed around the dingy basement   
as the thoughts and feelings of long dead composers swept   
through him. This song was one of his favorites, he could   
actually feel the anguish that was required to play it summoned   
from within him.   
  
As the last chord ended abruptly, it occurred to him he   
never played slow melancholy pieces, or anything light hearted  
that you could sing to, even if you couldn't carry a tune. He   
actually smiled as he thought of Rachel trying to...no, he didn't  
like to think of her. Even though it didn't hurt so much   
anymore...that thought scared him.  
  
Silently he left Joshua's home, and headed towards the   
night clubs he visited when he didn't feel like listening to Max   
bust his ass. Could he help it if he happened to attract a lot of   
women? It was one of the few good things in his life, and he  
liked to flaunt it.  
  
On an impulse he strolled into a coffee house. He   
couldn't figure it out, he was just drawn to the place. It turned  
out to be like an open mike deal for musicians. He stayed for  
a good three hours, just talking and laughing, listening to music  
(and in some talent less cases, trying not to listen). He hadn't   
expected this. It was the most fun he had had in a long time.   
Amongst these strangers he talked freely, not having to worry  
about all his problems.   
  
Eventually, he did end up going to this great dance  
club on the corner with some red-head. What was her   
name?...Oh yeah Susie...something or other.  
  
Ironically, he didn't end up taking her home with  
him.(although he wouldn't have minded) He strolled out   
and wandered back to his original destination. Only a few   
people sat on the couches, deep in conversation. Later Alec   
could not remember what had made him sit down on the  
bench in front of a baby grand piano. It seemed like his  
hands had a mind of their own as he began to play. Notes   
flowed through the room. Not from some song he learned  
back at Manticore, this was all him. And to his surprise,   
it was a exultant melody.  
  
Then he felt a presence on the bench next to him.   
Another beautiful instrument joined his. This voice was   
incredible, he thought, I've never heard anything like it.  
  
"It was endurable  
in my current situation  
until the day  
I felt that sensation"  
  
"Then it all shifted  
and I lost my concentration  
and yet I've come   
to a startling realization"  
  
"I can't go back   
To the way it was before   
I love this life  
I've got to have more"  
  
On and on they continued to share this   
moment. A moment that ended to quickly for Alec's  
liking. But eventually it did end, and he got the   
chance to see the face of that voice.   
  
Wow. That was all there was to it. He   
doubted there was a word in any dictionary that could  
describe her. Her beautiful hair, he couldn't name the   
color. First it looked to be amber colored, but when   
she turned her head to meet his gaze, it turned an array   
of copper, blonde and gold. Her eyes. Electrifying.   
A cocoa brown that sparkled, and yet he could see that   
she had no idea just how striking she looked. She had  
such an innocence about her, like she had never seen   
the ad things in the world.  
  
Then she smiled at him. Daring him to ask her   
for her secrets. Daring him to tell her his...and he wanted  
to. Not those secrets, but the ones that really made him   
"Alec". What he thought, what he felt.  
  
For the first time, he realized that he really wasn't   
"all manticore", and he didn't have to be. With her candy-like  
voice, she had told him it was ok to change the he thought,   
contrary to the way he was "brought up". He knew this even   
though she really hadn't been speaking to him directly.  
  
Wow, he thought for a second time, I got all of that f  
rom her, and I haven't even talked to her yet, I don't even  
know her name.  
  
"I'm Alyssa," she said, as if she had read his mind.  
  
"Alec", he managed to spit out.  
  
"Well Alec, I hope my lyrics have done your music  
justice. I'm kinda new at this", she smiled again, "but I love   
to sing."  
  
That smile, it was contagious, and felt the corners of   
his lips turn up. Not the arrogant lets-go-have-sex smile he   
usually used in the company of beautiful women. this was a  
new one. He was truly happy. Suddenly life wasn't just   
work, lay low, and get laid. No, this was a different feeling   
altogether. A new life. 'I hope I don't screw it up' he   
thought. 'I really don't wanna blow this, I don't want to hurt  
her. Or lose her.' I guess she meant it when she said 'startling  
realizations. 


End file.
